If Rafa Goes... .

[Flight]

Some folks need to be careful what they wish for.

 

Hicks has a history of sacking managers and replacing them with dross. That gives him a free hand to do what he wants.

 

 

 

In summary :

 

 

1. Hicks is not interested in success on the field. The only thing that motivates him is as much profit as possible, with as little investment as possible.

 

2. His history with sport is bleeding dry institutions he is associated with.

 

3. If Rafa leaves it will strengthen Hicks position immeasurably. He will put in place a coach who will not cross him.

 

 

 

Hicks is not interested in success on the pitch. His business plan is to build a stadium, incurring massively more debt, then bleed the fans dry with large increases in ticket prices, which will be structured. He will implement that as soon as he can get away with it.

[Lanus]

not saying I disagree with you but what evidence do you have of this?

[Flight]

He does not need, and isn't planning for, success on the pitch. Here's a fabulous post from coct3au on RAWK; IMO this should be posted and stickied on the front page of every LFC fan site out there, so we can keep our eyes on the real danger facing our club :

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A (link to full article)

"The Premier League [...] announced it would earn a staggering £1.7bn from its live domestic TV rights in the three seasons from 2007-08 onwards. The League's TV money is allocated in three ways: 50 per cent is shared equally between the 20 clubs, 25 per cent is spent on prizemoney depending on finishing position and 25 per cent is used for "facility fees" depending on how many of a club's games are televised live."

Exhibit B1 (link)

 

Exhibit B2 (link)

 

Exhibit B3 (link)

 

 

 

Exhibit C1 (link to full article)

 

"All of these teams have become businesses in the past 20 years," Hicks said. " ... This business has to do with fan affinity and brand devotion. It doesn't necessarily have to do with winning."

 

That fan base, like the 100-million-plus associated with Hick's new Liverpool FC football team in England, is a prime target for advertisers, who Hicks said are paying increasingly larger amounts of money in efforts to reach them.

 

"New media is the big push these days," he said. "Today you can watch a ballgame from anywhere in the world, except Dallas-Fort Worth, on MLB.com, or you can get on your Blackberry or other handheld device to check game stats or news." And increasingly more corporate partnership and co-branding opportunities are presenting themselves, Hicks said. For advertisers, Asia is becoming a large target, he said. Liverpool FC, in fact, plays its games during Asia's prime time hours in an effort to capture that audience.

Exhibit C2 (link)

 

"How does a team build brand recognition and brand loyalty without winning? I'm not sure how that's supposed to work."

 

"Maybe look to the Cubs for that answer? The Cubs are very unique and their fanbase is highly overrated as loyal. First, Wrigley is a major tourist destination. Very few ballparks have that distinction and all the teams that do have high attendance figures [...] the #1 reason people take fake sick days is to go to Cubs games. It's a culture thing there, you blow off work to go see the Cubs [...] You go there and get tanked. It is not called the World's largest frat party for no reason. [...] They are loyal to blowing off work, getting tanked, and seeing the "great" Wrigley Field."

Exhibit C3 (link)

 

"Building brand loyalty is about business practices and business practices, as we in the newspaper/dotcom business know, is no longer about long-term investment, but about maximizming in the short-term. There isn't a for-profit business in the world that doesn't try to maximize its profit given its current revenue. And that is what it appears Hicks is saying. He's going to try and build his business with the assets he's got."

[johngibo YPC]

3. If Rafa leaves it will strengthen Hicks position immeasurably. He will put in place a coach who will not cross him.

 

Decent point that i think

Can't see 'Jose' thinking much of him

[muleskinner]

However, the more success a club has the more games will be televised. . . . he still has to go though. Is Hicks' 'model' based on the minimum available from the TV deals?

[Andy @ Allerton]

Some folks need to be careful what they wish for.

 

Hicks has a history of sacking managers and replacing them with dross. That gives him a free hand to do what he wants.

In summary :

1. Hicks is not interested in success on the field. The only thing that motivates him is as much profit as possible, with as little investment as possible.

 

2. His history with sport is bleeding dry institutions he is associated with.

 

3. If Rafa leaves it will strengthen Hicks position immeasurably. He will put in place a coach who will not cross him.

Hicks is not interested in success on the pitch. His business plan is to build a stadium, incurring massively more debt, then bleed the fans dry with large increases in ticket prices, which will be structured. He will implement that as soon as he can get away with it.

 

Surely if he's interested in profit - then appointing a rubbish manager makes no sense - as that would make the teams achievements less - which would affect sales of club merchandise and prize money at the end of the season

[Lanus]

Cheers for the links there. Ya, I know there will be more and more Tv money coming in but the current owners of premier league teams will know this too.. why sell if you're going to make loads of money..

 

anyway thats for another day.

[Rimbeux]

If...

 

the future and requirements for the plan will be

 

A CL team. A coach who will achieve that or be fired if he does not, and does not seek to lead, change or question club policy. A budget, less than last summer, in line with ROI parameters, that KOP feels is adequate, that was good enough to win the CL and get to another final.

[matty]

Surely if he's interested in profit - then appointing a rubbish manager makes no sense - as that would make the teams achievements less - which would affect sales of club merchandise and prize money at the end of the season

 

The Rolling Stones - haven't made a decent record for 30 years. People still go and watch them.

Ford - make dull, average cars, people buy them.

Blackpol - dreadful, horrible place. People still go there on holiday.

 

It's about brand, image. And while there's money to be made out of it, Hicks will do it. Identify your demographic, market it, and make money. And it doesn't matter how it performs on any objective basis.

[Flight]

Hicks fields a very average team, drastically cuts payroll, and annually raises ticket prices. Sounds like a good business model!

 

 

 

 

 

"Removing Tom Hicks"

 

 

"I would be all for a strike/boycott of the Rangers until Hicks sold the team to get his sorry ass out of here and get us a real owner."

 

 

"I would agree that Ranger administration, if winning games is the object, has not done well over the last third of a century, or so. "

 

 

"How much better would those teams have been if they'd had access to more funding for starting pitching?"

 

 

"Since I'm as big a Liverpool FC fan as I am a Rangers fan, I couldn't be happier.

 

Hicks and Gillette are already becoming hated men in England"

 

 

"They want his personal cash over there. Is this why our Rangers always get the crumbs? Maybe someone should offer some money for the Rangers so he can keep Liverpool, or have the Liverpudlians already figured out that angle ALREADY!"

 

 

"I think if you look at what resources Hicks had, he may be the worst owner ever. "

 

 

 

Angry Rangers Fans

 

 

 

"there is frustration with losing and frustration of the Hicks tenure."

 

 

"I think most every Ranger fan has been disappointed in the on-field performance of this team for a number of years. "

 

 

 

 

 

I could go on for hours posting quotes like this from that one forum.

 

 

 

 

Feel free to bury your head in the sand, but I guarantee you this :

 

 

 

 

Hicks is only interested in making as much profit, with as little investment as possible.

 

Don't miss out on that 'as little investment as possible'.

 

He is not interested in on the pitch success.

[Archangel]

There is another owner in the partnership y'know

 

more black propaganda

[Flight]

The Rolling Stones - haven't made a decent record for 30 years. People still go and watch them.

Ford - make dull, average cars, people buy them.

Blackpol - dreadful, horrible place. People still go there on holiday.

 

It's about brand, image. And while there's money to be made out of it, Hicks will do it. Identify your demographic, market it, and make money. And it doesn't matter how it performs on any objective basis.

 

 

Just one more to back that up :

 

 

The Rangers have finished LAST or next to last for almost an entire decade now, yet attendance has actually been pretty good.

 

Attendance isn't a problem with the Rangers, never has been, and likely never will be.

 

 

 

 

 

Hicks knows full well we are the best and most committed fans in the world.

 

 

And he will exploit the heck out of it.

 

 

Not only will we take it up the ass, we will apply the Vaseline and bend over backwards for him.

Edited February 1, 2008 by Flight

[Guest RedLegend]

If Rafa can't get it sorted on the pitch he goes. Sooner or later. That is the nature of football managment.

 

At the moment he is doing himself no favours. The fans would back him completely if we were performing well but we aren't. We're a shambles right now on the field.

[Rimbeux]

There is another owner in the partnership y'know

 

more black propaganda

 

 

Who has over-reached himself on all levels.

[hideNseek]

There is another owner in the partnership y'know

 

more black propaganda

Well actions speak louder than words and so far it's pretty damn obvious he's a lying t***.

[MFletcher]

If Rafa can't get it sorted on the pitch he goes. Sooner or later. That is the nature of football managment.

 

At the moment he is doing himself no favours. The fans would back him completely if we were performing well but we aren't. We're a shambles right now on the field.

 

Once Hicks started undermining the manager, this season was a write off as it prevented Rafa from doing his job properly.

 

Rafa had the courage to stand up to Hicks and say "You're not doing things right". By all accounts, Hicks wanted to sack him. The fans rallied around Rafa, and whether you question his selections/tactics/whatever, no-one can question that he loves the club, city and supporters and is desperate to do well. Yes, he doesn't always help himself with certain selections eg. Voronin away at Boro. But no-one can really say that Rafa doesn't want to do well. He has his own methods and believes in them fully.

 

He's a footballing man. He wants a successful team on the pitch. When you look at Hicks, and his previous record, you can see that this is a guy who will be happy for us to stay in the European places. He knows we'll turn up for the game every week regardless of how bad the team are because we're "loyal to the brand". He knows that if he increases season ticket prices, there are thousands on the waiting list who will pay it if others don't. If he sacks Rafa, he's not going to be interested in a manager who'll question him. He'll want a "yes" man, someone who will come in and work within the constraints of the Hicks regime without complaint. The manager may request more funds to sign a special player who's become available. If he's told to go away, even though the money is available at the club, he'll accept it without any real complaint. Hicks is only interested in his profit margins and potential sale values.

 

Regardless of what anyone says about Rafa, he wants what the fans want. A lot of you don't agree with the way he does things, but he cares a great deal about the footballing side of this club. Hicks turns up to a few games a year, offers tactical advice and complains about the atmosphere in newspaper interviews, intends to take money out of the club to pay for his takeover and has consistently undermined the manager by speaking to, and offering his job to, a no-mark who's only managerial track record was taking a German side to the semi finals of a World Cup on home soil. Now, what happens if Rafa walks and he appoints another no-mark who manages to make us worse? There won't be significant investment, there won't be anything that impacts on the profit figures because we'll need that to pay interest, tax and dividends to the owners to cover the charges. The "fairweather" fans will disappear in droves from the ground and we'll be looking at mid-table mediocrity - all overseen by a businessman who has no concept of how to run a European football club but still believes he knows best.

[Gravy]

Some folks need to be careful what they wish for.

 

Hicks has a history of sacking managers and replacing them with dross. That gives him a free hand to do what he wants.

In summary :

1. Hicks is not interested in success on the field. The only thing that motivates him is as much profit as possible, with as little investment as possible.

 

2. His history with sport is bleeding dry institutions he is associated with.

 

3. If Rafa leaves it will strengthen Hicks position immeasurably. He will put in place a coach who will not cross him.

Hicks is not interested in success on the pitch. His business plan is to build a stadium, incurring massively more debt, then bleed the fans dry with large increases in ticket prices, which will be structured. He will implement that as soon as he can get away with it.

 

IF this is the case, how the hell can we find all of this out via the Internet of some such way and Moores and Parry couldn't when Moores sold the club to him. That's the burning question that I think needs to be answerered at some point.

[Spike]

Surely if he's interested in profit - then appointing a rubbish manager makes no sense - as that would make the teams achievements less - which would affect sales of club merchandise and prize money at the end of the season

 

consistent mediocrity is more profitable, particularly if we have a 70k stadium servicing corporate and day trippers, when you consider what's needed to make the push for trophies.

[Guest Snorky]

Not defending Hicks in anyway shape or form here, but to get success off the pitch you need success on it. To get success on the pitch you need success off it.

[Flight]

Good post

 

 

Got to agree, Hicks has totally undermined Rafa and cut his authority apart.

 

Ferguson had a bad season with the Mancs, in what was going to be his last season - yet he was far less undermined than Rafa has been.

 

 

I believe Rafa can come through this, but he will need Stevie to man up and back him.

 

 

 

 

 

Regardless of Rafa, what I'm really trying to underline is not to lose focus on Hicks and his plans for our club.

[Flight]

Have to say its totally obvious to all of us that Hicks plan the past few months was to undermine Rafa.

 

 

Why be surprised if we have performed poorly on the pitch if the owner(s) have been trying to destroy our manager and his credibility ?

 

 

 

Hicks is on the way to getting what he wanted and what he planned to do. Just be aware that he is far more interested in profit, with next to no investment, than he is with success.

[Spike]

Not defending Hicks in anyway shape or form here, but to get success off the pitch you need success on it. To get success on the pitch you need success off it.

 

IMO, only in the long term will lack of success have an effect on attendance, and if the club position themselves so that their customers are corporates and day trippers and offer an 'LFC experience', trading on the history then it would still be conceivable that we'd get the gate receipts and liverworld tills ringing

[matty]

Not defending Hicks in anyway shape or form here, but to get success off the pitch you need success on it. To get success on the pitch you need success off it.

 

Not true.

 

In football there are two kinds of success. The kind that matters to us, the fans, and the kind that matters to people who want to make money.

 

If you pick the right club, you can make money without on-pitch success. Yes, on the pitch success would appear to offer guaranteed off pitch success, but it isn't guaranteed. And given the amount of outlay needed to bring on-pitch success, it might be better for Hicks to ramp up the worldwide marketing, fill the stadium and let the team settle into mediocrity with its image, and brand history to precede it.

[MFletcher]

Not defending Hicks in anyway shape or form here, but to get success off the pitch you need success on it. To get success on the pitch you need success off it.

 

Not really. Hicks is on record as saying sport is about "brand loyalty" and not necessarily "winning". Once the stadium is built, we'll have hugely increased revenue streams from the sale of tickets, merchandise at the shop, food and drink, corporate facilities etc.

 

He knows that there are plenty of people in Liverpool and across the British Isles that will go to the game and spend their money in the stadium regardless of whether we're top of the league or plodding along in top six/seven. He's not overly fussed whether we win or not, because winning will mean extensive investment. He's not willing to do that as it would force him to either invest his own money into the club or use his own money to cover the interest charges.

 

We don't need to be successful. We need to be plodding along in some kind of European competition and we'll be an attractive enough proposition for a takeover on the basis that we have a hugely loyal fanbase and a stadium capable of fitting 71,000 of them in.

 

Hicks isn't remotely interested in winning with us. He wants whatever will generate profits. He knows that people like you will turn up to the game regardless of how bad the team are because you love the club. He'll exploit that and give you mediocrity in return for your money.

[Rimbeux]

I dont think we will have a stable management situation under these owners. The things that inform that view are the way they micro-manage in a field they have no experience of, the nature of the coaching role as they understand it and are used to dealing with it, the short-term nature of the sports they do have experience in, the attitude to team 'investment', the growing competition for CL places.